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Simplified Chinese version
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《自然 - Ziran》

English translation: Albert Forke [?] Library Resources
1 自然:
天地合气,万物自生,犹夫妇合气,子自生矣。万物之生,含血之类,知饥知寒。见五谷可食,取而食之;见丝麻可衣,取而衣之。或说以为天生五谷以食人,生丝麻以衣人。此谓天为人作农夫、桑女之徒也,不合自然,故其义疑,未可从也。试依道家论之。
Ziran:
By the fusion of the fluids of Heaven and Earth all things of the world are produced spontaneously, just as by the mixture of the fluids of husband and wife children are born spontaneously. Among the things thus produced, creatures with blood in their veins are sensitive of hunger and cold. Seeing that grain can be eaten, they use it as food, and discovering that silk and hemp can be worn, they take it as raiment. Some people are of opinion that Heaven produces grain for the purpose of feeding mankind, and silk and hemp to cloth them. That would be tantamount to making Heaven the farmer of man or his mulberry girl, it would not be in accordance with spontaneity, therefore this opinion is very questionable and unacceptable. I shall attempt to discuss this using Daoist principles.

2 自然:
天者、普施气万物之中,谷愈饥而丝麻救寒,故人食谷、衣丝麻也。夫天之不故生五谷丝麻以衣食人,由其有灾变不欲以谴告人也。物自生,而人衣食之;气自变,而人畏惧之。以若说论之,厌于人心矣。如天瑞为故,自然焉在?无为何居?何以天之自然也?以天无口目也。案有为者、口目之类也,口欲食而目欲视,有嗜欲于内,发之于外,口目求之,得以为利,欲之为也。今无口目之欲,于物无所求索,夫何为乎?何以知天无口目也?以地知之。地以土为体,土本无口目。天地、夫妇也,地体无口目,亦知天无口目也。使天体乎?宜与地同。使天气乎?气若云烟,云烟之属,安得口目?
Ziran:
Heaven emits its fluid everywhere. Among the many things of this world grain dispels hunger, and silk and hemp protect from cold. For that reason man eats grain, and wears silk and hemp. That Heaven does not produce grain, silk, and hemp purposely, in order to feed and clothe mankind, follows from the fact that by calamitous changes it does not intend to reprove man. Things are produced spontaneously, and man wears and eats them; the fluid changes spontaneously, and man is frightened by it, for the usual theory is disheartening. Where would be spontaneity, if the heavenly signs were intentional, and where inaction? Why must we assume that Heaven acts spontaneously? Because it has neither mouth nor eyes. Activity is connected with the mouth and the eyes: the mouth wishes to eat, and the eyes to see. These desires within manifest themselves without. That the mouth and the eyes are craving for something, which is considered an advantage, is due to those desires. Now, provided that the mouth and the eye do not affect things, there is nothing which they might long for, why should there be activity then? How do we know that Heaven possesses neither mouth nor eyes? From Earth. The body of the Earth is formed of earth, and earth has neither mouth nor eyes. Heaven and Earth are like husband and wife. Since the body of the Earth is not provided with a mouth or eyes, we know that Heaven has no mouth or eyes neither. Supposing that Heaven has a body, then it must be like that of the Earth, and should it be air only, this air would be like clouds and fog. How can a cloudy or nebular substance have a mouth or an eye?

3 自然:
或曰:“凡动行之类,皆本无有为。有欲故动,动则有为。今天动行与人相似,安得无为?”曰:天之动行也,施气也,体动气乃出,物乃生矣。由人动气也,体动气乃出,子亦生也。夫人之施气也,非欲以生子,气施而子自生矣。天动不欲以生物,而物自生,此则自然也。施气不欲为物,而物自为,此则无为也。谓天自然无为者何?气也。恬澹无欲,无为无事者也,老聃得以寿矣。老聃禀之于天,使天无此气,老聃安所禀受此性?师无其说而弟子独言者,未之有也。或复于桓公,公曰:“以告仲父。”左右曰:“一则仲父,二则仲父,为君乃易乎!”桓公曰:“吾未得仲父,故难;已得仲父,何为不易?”夫桓公得仲父,任之以事,委之以政,不复与知。皇天以至优之德,与王政而谴告人,则天德不若桓公,而霸君之操过上帝也。
Ziran:
Some one might argue that every movement is originally inaction. There is desire provoking the movement, and, as soon as there is motion, there is action. The movements of Heaven are similar to those of man, how could they be inactive? I reply that, when Heaven moves, it emits its fluid. Its body moves, the fluid comes forth, and things are produced. When man moves his fluid, his body moves, his fluid then comes forth, and a child is produced. Man emitting his fluid does not intend to beget a child, yet the fluid being emitted, the child is born of itself. When Heaven is moving, it does not desire to produce things thereby, but things are produced of their own accord. That is spontaneity. Letting out its fluid it does not desire to create things, but things are created of themselves. That is inaction.
But how is the fluid of Heaven, which we credit with spontaneity and inaction? It is placid, tranquil, desireless, inactive, and unbusied. Laozi acquired long life by it. He obtained it from Heaven. If Heaven did not possess this fluid, how could Laozi have obtained this nature? For it does not happen that the disciples alone speak of something, which their master never mentioned.
Perhaps this nature appeared again in Duke Huan, who was wont to say, "Let Guan Zhong know." His attendants replied, "is it so easy to rule, if Guan Zhong is always the first and second word?" The duke rejoined, "Before I had secured the services of Guan Zhong, I was in the greatest difficulties, now, after I have got him, I find everything easy." When Duke Huan had taken Guan Zhong into his service, he left the affairs to him, entrusted him with the administration, and did not trouble any more about it. Should high Heaven, which in its exalted virtue confers the government upon an emperor, reprove man, its virtue would be inferior to that of Duke Huan, and the conduct of a feudatory prince surpass that of great Heaven.

4 自然:
或曰:“桓公知管仲贤,故委任之;如非管仲,亦将谴告之矣。使天遭尧、舜,必无谴告之变。”曰:天能谴告人君,则亦能故命圣君,择才若尧、舜,受以王命,委以王事,勿复与知。今则不然,生庸庸之君,失道废德,随谴告之,何天不惮劳也?曹参为汉相,纵酒歌乐,不听政治。其子谏之,笞之二百。当时天下无扰乱之变。淮阳铸伪钱,吏不能禁。汲黯为太守,不坏一炉,不刑一人,高枕安卧,而淮阳政清。夫曹参为相,若不为相;汲黯为太守,若郡无人。然而汉朝无事,淮阳刑错者,参德优而黯威重也。计天之威德,孰与曹参、汲黯?而谓天与王政,随而谴告之,是谓天德不若曹参厚,而威不若汲黯重也。蘧伯玉治卫,子贡使人问之:“何以治卫?”对曰:“以不治治之。”夫不治之治,无为之道也。
Ziran:
Somebody might object that Duke Huan knew Guan Zhong to be a wise man, and therefore appointed him, and that but for Guan Zhong he would also have given vent to his displeasure. Meeting with men like Yao and Shun Heaven would certainly not have reprimanded people either. I beg to reply, that, if Heaven can reprimand, it might as well purposely appoint a wise prince, select a genius like Yao and Shun, confer the imperial dignity upon him, and leave the affairs of the empire to him without taking further notice of them. Now it is different. Heaven creates very inferior princes, who have no principles, and neglect virtue, and therefore has to reprove them every now and then. Would it not be afraid of the trouble?
Cao Can, a minister of the Han, was given to wine, songs, and music, and did not care about government. When his son remonstrated with him, he gave him two hundred blows with the bamboo. At that period there was no insurrection in the empire. In Huaiyang people coined counterfeit money, and the officials were powerless to check the abuse. Ji An was prefect then. He did not destroy a single furnace, or punish a single individual. Quite indifferent, he was comfortably reclining on his couch, and the conditions of Huaiyang became well ordered again. Cao Can behaved himself, as though he were not a minister, and Ji An administered his prefecture, as if nobody were living in it. Albeit yet the empire of the Han had no troubles, and in Huaiyang the punishments could be discontinued. So perfect was the virtue of Cao Can, and so imposing Ji An’s dignity. The majesty of Heaven and its virtue are quite something else than those of Cao Can and Ji An, but to affirm that Heaven entrusts an emperor with the government, and then reproves him, would amount to nothing less than that Heaven's virtue is not as exalted as that of Cao Can, and its majesty not as imposing as that of Ji An. When Qu Boyu was governing Wei, Zigong asked him through somebody, how he governed Wei. The reply was, "I govern it by not governing." – Government by not governing is inaction as a principle.

5 自然:
或曰:“太平之应,河出图,洛出书。不画不就,不为不成。天地出之,有为之验也。张良游泗水之上,遇黄石公,授太公书。盖天佐汉诛秦,故命令神石为鬼书授人,复为有为之效也。”曰:此皆自然也。夫天安得以笔墨而为图书乎?天道自然,故图书自成。晋唐叔虞、鲁成季友生,文在其手,故叔曰虞,季曰友。宋仲子生,有文在其手,曰:“为鲁夫人。”三者在母之时,文字成矣,而谓天为文字,在母之时,天使神持锥笔墨刻其身乎?自然之化,固疑难知,外若有为,内实自然。是以太史公纪黄石事,疑而不能实也。赵简子梦上天,见一男子在帝之侧。后出,见人当道,则前所梦见在帝侧者也。论之以为赵国且昌之状也。黄石授书,亦汉且兴之象也,妖气为鬼,鬼象人形,自然之道,非或为之也。
Ziran:
Some opponent might say that as a sequel of universal peace a plan came forth from the Yellow River, and a scroll from the Luo. Without drawing no plan can be made, and without action nothing is completed. The fact that Heaven and Earth produced the plan and the scroll shows that they are active, they think. When Zhang Liang was walking on the banks of the river Si, he met the "Yellow Stone Genius," who gave him the "minister's book." Heaven was supporting the Han and destroying the Qin, therefore he ordered a spiritual stone to change into a ghost. That a book was handed to somebody is again considered a proof of activity. I am of opinion that all this was spontaneous, for how could Heaven take a brush and ink, and draw the plan, or write the scroll? The principle of Heaven is spontaneity, consequently the plan and the book must have been produced of themselves.
Tang Shu Yu of Jin and Cheng Ji You of Lu had a character in their hands, when they were born, therefore one was called Yu, the other You. When Zongzi of Song was born, the characters "Duchess of Lu" were written on her palm. These letters must have been written, while the three persons were still in their mother's womb. If we say that Heaven wrote them, while they were in their mother's womb, did Heaven perhaps send a spirit with a style, a brush, and ink to engrave and write the characters on their bodies? The spontaneity of these processes seems dubious, and is difficult to understand. Externally there seemed to be activity, but as a matter of fact, there was spontaneity internally. Thus the Grand Annalist recording the story of the yellow stone, has his doubts, but cannot find the truth. Viscount Jian of Zhao had a dream that he was ascending to heaven. There he saw a lad by the side of the Ruler of Heaven. When he went out subsequently, he perceived a young man in the street, who was the one whom he had seen previously in his dream by the side of the Ruler of Heaven. This must be regarded as a lucky augury the future flourishing of the Zhao State, as the transmission of the book by the "yellow stone" was a sign of the rise of the Han dynasty. That the supernatural fluid becomes a ghost, and that the ghost is shaped like a man, is spontaneous, and not the work of anybody.

6 自然:
草木之生,华叶青葱,皆有曲折,象类文章,谓天为文字,复为华叶乎?宋人或刻木为楮叶者,三年乃成。孔子曰:“使
1地三年乃成一叶,则万物之有叶者寡矣。”如孔子之言,万物之叶自为生也。自为生也,故能并成。如天为之,其迟当若宋人刻楮叶矣。观鸟兽之毛羽,毛羽之采色,通可为乎?鸟兽未能尽实。春观万物之生,秋观其成,天地为之乎?物自然也?如谓天地为之,为之宜用手,天地安得万万千千手,并为万万千千物乎?诸物在天地之间也。犹子在母腹中也。母怀子气,十月而生,鼻口耳目,发肤毛理,血脉脂腴,骨节爪齿,自然成腹中乎?母为之也?偶人千万,不名为人者,何也?鼻口耳目非性自然也。武帝幸王夫人,王夫人死,思见其形。道士以方术作夫人形,形成,出入宫门。武帝大惊,立而迎之,忽不复见。盖非自然之真,方士巧妄之伪,故一见恍忽,消散灭亡。有为之化,其不可久行,犹王夫人形不可久见也。道家论自然,不知引物事以验其言行,故自然之说未见信也。
Ziran:
When plants and trees grow, their flowers and leaves are onion green and have crooked and broken veins like ornaments. If Heaven is credited with having written the above mentioned characters, does it make these flowers and leaves also? In the State of Song a man carved a mulberry-leaf of wood, and it took him three years to complete it. Confucius said "If the Earth required three years to complete one leaf, few plants would have leaves." According to this dictum of Confucius the leaves of plants grow spontaneously, and for that reason they can grow simultaneously. If Heaven made them, their growth would be as much delayed as the carving of the mulberry-leaf by the man of the Song State.
Let us look at the hair and feathers of animals and birds, and their various colours. Can they all have been made? If so, animals and birds would never be quite finished. In spring we see the plants growing, and in autumn we see them full-grown. Can Heaven and Earth have done this, or do things grow spontaneously? If we may say that Heaven and Earth have done it, they must have used hands for the purpose. Do Heaven and Earth possess many thousand or many ten thousand hands to produce thousands and ten thousands of things at the same time?
The things between Heaven and Earth are like a child in his mother's womb. After ten months pregnancy the mother gives birth to the child. Are his nose, his mouth, his ears, his hair, his eyes, his skin with down, the arteries, the fat, the bones, the joints, the nails, and the teeth grown of themselves in the womb, or has the mother made them?
Why is a dummy never called a man? Because it has a nose, a mouth, ears, and eyes, but not a spontaneous nature. Wu Di was very fond of his consort Wang. When she had died, he pondered, whether he could not see her figure again. The Daoists made an artificial figure of the lady.18 When it was ready, it passed through the palace gate. Wu Di greatly alarmed rose to meet her, but, all of a sudden, she was not seen any more. Since it was not a real, spontaneous being, but a semblance, artificially made by jugglers, it became diffuse at first sight, dispersed, and vanished. Everything that has been made does not last long, like the image of the empress, which appeared only for a short while.
The Daoist school argues on spontaneity, but it does not know how to substantiate its cause by evidence. Therefore their theory of spontaneity has not yet found credence.

1. 天 : Inserted.《韩非子》、《淮南子》等补。

7 自然:
然虽自然,亦须有为辅助。耒耜耕耘、因春播种者,人为之也。及谷入地,日夜长夫,人不能为也。或为之者,败之道也。宋人有闵其苖之不长者,就而揠之,明日枯死。夫欲为自然者,宋人之徒也。
Ziran:
However, in spite of spontaneity there may be activity for a while in support of it. Ploughing, tilling, weeding, and sowing in Spring are human actions. But as soon as the grain has entered the soil, it begins growing by day and night. Man can do nothing for it, or if he does, he spoils the thing. A man of Song was sorry that his sprouts were not high enough, therefore he pulled them out, but, on the following day, they were dry, and died. He who wishes to do what is spontaneous, is on a par with this man of Song.

8 自然:
问曰:“人生于天地,天地无为,人禀天性者,亦当无为,而有为,何也?”曰:至德纯渥之人,禀天气多,故能则天,自然无为。禀气薄少,不遵道德,不似天地,故曰不肖。不肖者、不似也。不似天地,不类圣贤,故有为也。天地为炉,造化为工,禀气不一,安能皆贤?贤之纯者,黄、老是也。黄者、黄帝也,老者、老子也。黄、老之操,身中恬澹,其治无为,正身共己而阴阳自和,无心于为而物自化,无意于生而物自成。
Ziran:
The following question may be raised: 'Man is born from Heaven and Earth. Since Heaven and Earth are inactive, man who has received the fluid of Heaven, ought to be inactive likewise, wherefore does he act nevertheless?' For the following reason. A man with the highest, purest, and fullest virtue has been endowed with a large quantity of the heavenly fluid, therefore he can follow the example of Heaven, and be spontaneous and inactive like it. He who has received but a small quota of the fluid, does not live in accordance with righteousness and virtue, and does not resemble Heaven and Earth. Hence he is called unlike, which means that he does not resemble Heaven and Earth. Not resembling Heaven and Earth he cannot be accounted a wise man or a sage. Therefore he is active.
Heaven and Earth are the furnace, and the creating is the melting process. How can all be wise, since the fluid of which they are formed is not the same? Huang and Lao were truly wise. Huang is Huang Di, and Lao is Laozi. Huang and Lao's conduct was such, that their bodies were in a state of quietude and indifference. Their government consisted in inaction. They took care of their persons, and behaved with reverence, hence Yin and Yang were in harmony. They did not long for action, and things were produced of themselves; they did not think of creating anything, and things were completed spontaneously.

9 自然:
《易》曰:“黄帝、尧、舜垂衣裳而天下治。”垂衣裳者、垂拱无为也。孔子曰:“大哉,尧之为君也!惟天为大,惟尧则之。”又曰:“巍巍乎!舜、禹之有天下也,而不与焉。”周公曰:“上帝引佚。”上帝、谓舜、禹也。舜、禹承安继治,任贤使能,恭己无为而天下治。舜、禹承尧之安,尧则天而行,不作功邀名,无为之化自成,故曰:“荡荡乎,民无能名焉!”年五十者击壤于涂,不能知尧之德,盖自然之化也。《易》曰:“大人与天地合其德。”黄帝、尧、舜、大人也,其德与天地合,故知无为也。天道无为,故春不为生,而夏不为长,秋不为成,冬不为藏。阳气自出,物自生长;阴气自起,物自成藏。汲井决陂,灌溉园田,物亦生长。霈然而雨,物之茎叶根垓莫不洽濡。程量澍泽,孰与汲井决陂哉?故无为之为大矣。本不求功,故其功立;本不求名,故其名成。沛然之雨,功名大矣,而天地不为也,气和而雨自集。
Ziran:
The Yijing says that Huang Di, Yao, and Shun let their robes fall, and the empire was governed.That they let their robes fall means that their robes fell down, and that they folded their arms, doing nothing. Confucius said, "Grand indeed was Yao as a sovereign! Heaven alone is great, and Yao alone emulated it!" and, "How imposing was the way in which Shun and Yu swayed the empire, but did not much care for it." The Duke of Zhou makes the remark that the supreme ruler enjoyed his ease. By the supreme ruler Shun and Yu are meant.
Shun and Yu took over the peaceful government, which they continued, appointing wise men and men of talent. They respected themselves, and did no work themselves, and the empire was governed. Shun and Yu received the peaceful government from Yao. Yao imitated Heaven; he did not do meritorious deeds or strive for a name, and reforms, for which nothing was done, were completed of themselves. Hence it was said, "Excellent indeed," but the people did not find the right name for it. Those aged 50 years were beating clods of earth together on their land, but they did not understand Yao's virtue, because the reforms were spontaneous.
The Yijing says, "The great man equals Heaven and Earth in virtue." Huang Di, Yao, and Shun were such great men. Their virtue was on a level with that of Heaven and Earth, therefore they knew inaction. The principle of Heaven is inaction. Accordingly in spring it does not do the germinating, in summer the growing, in autumn the ripening, or in winter the hiding of the seeds. When the Yang fluid comes forth spontaneously, plants will germinate and grow of themselves, and, when the Yin fluid rises, they ripen and disappear of their own accord.
When we irrigate garden land with water drawn from wells or drained from ponds, plants germinate and grow also, but, when showers of rain come down, the stalks, leaves, and roots are all abundantly soaked. Natural moisture is much more copious than artificial irrigation from wells and ponds. Thus inactive action brings the greatest results. By not seeking it, merit is acquired, and by not affecting it, fame is obtained. Rain-showers, merit, and fame are something great, yet Heaven and Earth do not work for them. When the fluid harmonises, rain gathers spontaneously.

10 自然:
儒家说夫妇之道,取法于天地。知夫妇法天地,不知推夫妇之道,以论天地之性,可谓惑矣。夫天覆于上,地偃于下,下气烝上,上气降下,万物自生其中间矣。当其生也,天不须复与也,由子在母怀中,父不能知也。物自生,子自成,天地父母,何与知哉?及其生也,人道有教训之义。天道无为,听恣其性,故放鱼于川,纵兽于山,从其性命之欲也。不驱鱼令上陵,不逐兽令入渊者,何哉?拂诡其性,失其所宜也。夫百姓、鱼兽之类也,上德治之,若烹小鲜,与天地同操也。商鞅变秦法,欲为殊异之功,不听赵良之议,以取车裂之患,德薄多欲,君臣相憎怨也。道家德厚,下当其上,上安其下,纯蒙无为,何复谴告?故曰:“政之适也,君臣相忘于治,鱼相忘于水,兽相忘于林,人相忘于世,故曰天也。”孔子谓颜渊曰:“吾服汝,忘也;汝之服于我,亦忘也。”以孔子为君,颜渊为臣,尚不能谴告,况以老子为君,文子为臣乎?老子、文子、似天地者也。淳酒味甘,饮之者醉不相知;薄酒酸苦,宾主频蹙。夫相谴告,道薄之验也。谓天谴告,曾谓天德不若淳酒乎?
Ziran:
The literati in speaking of the relation of husband and wife establish similarities with Heaven and Earth. For husband and wife they find similarities with Heaven and Earth, but in so far as they are unable to make use of the relation of husband and wife, when discussing the nature of Heaven and Earth, they show a regrettable lack of acumen. Heaven expands above, and Earth below. When the fluid from below rises, and the fluid on high descends, all things are created in the middle. While they are growing, it is not necessary that Heaven should still care for them, just as the father does not know the embryo, after it is in the mother's womb. Things grow spontaneously, and the child is formed of itself. Heaven and Earth, and father and mother can take no further cognisance of it. But after birth, the way of man is instruction and teaching, the way of Heaven, inaction and yielding to nature. Therefore Heaven allows the fish to swim in the rivers, and the wild beasts to roam in the mountains, following their natural propensities. It does not drive the fish up the hills, or the wild beasts into the water. Why? Because that would be an outrage upon their nature, and a complete disregard of what suits them. The people resemble fish and beasts. High virtue governs them as easily, as one fries small fish, and as Heaven and Earth would act.
Shang Yang changed the laws of Qin wishing to acquire extraordinary merit. He did not hear the advice of Zhao Liang, consequently he incurred the horrible penalty of being torn asunder by carts. If the virtue be poor, and the desires many, prince and minister hate one another. The Taoists possess real virtue: the inferiors agree with the superiors, and the superiors are at peace with their inferiors. Being genuinely ignorant, they do nothing, and there is no reason, why they should be reproved. This is what they call a well balanced government. Prince and minister forget one another in governing, the fish forget each other in the water, and so do the beasts in the forests, and men in life. That is Heaven.
Confucius said to Yan Yuan, "When I deferred to you, I did not think of it, and when you deferred to me, you likewise did not think of it." Although Confucius was like a prince, and Yan Yuan like a minister, he could not make up his mind to reprimand Yan Yuan, how much less would Laozi have been able to do so, if we consider him as a prince and Wenzi as his minister? Laozi and Wenzi were like Heaven and Earth.
Generous wine tastes sweet. When those who drink it, become drunk, they do not know each other. Bad wine is sour and bitter. Hosts and guests knit the brows. Now, reprimands are a proof of the badness of one's principles. To say that Heaven reprimands would be like pretending that Heaven's excellence is inferior to that of generous wine.

11 自然:
礼者、忠信之薄,乱之首也。相讥以礼,故相谴告。三皇之时,坐者于于,行者居居,乍自以为马,乍自以为牛。纯德行而民瞳蒙,晓惠之心未形生也。当时亦无灾异。如有灾异,不名曰谴告。何则?时人愚憃,不知相绳责也。末世衰微,上下相非,灾异时至,则造谴告之言矣。夫今之天、古之天也。非古之天厚,而今之天薄也。谴告之言生于今者,人以心准况之也。诰誓不及五帝,要盟不及三王,交质子不及五伯,德弥薄者信弥衰。心险而行诐,则犯约而负教。教约不行,则相谴告。谴告不改,举兵相灭。由此言之,谴告之言,衰乱之语也,而谓之上天为之,斯盖所以疑也。
Ziran:
Ceremonies originate from a want of loyalty and good faith, and are the beginning of confusion. On that score people find fault with one another, which leads to reproof. At the time of the Three Rulers people were sitting down self-satisfied, and walking about at perfect ease. Sometimes they took themselves for horses, and sometimes for oxen. Virtuous actions were out of the question, and the people were dull and beclouded. Knowledge and wisdom did not yet make their appearance. Originally, there happened no calamities or catastrophes either, or, if they did, they were not denoted as reprimands. Why? Because at that time people were feeble-minded, and did not restrain or reproach one another. Later generations have gradually declined - superiors and inferiors recriminate, and calamitous events continually happen. Hence the hypothesis of reprimands has been developed. The Heaven of today is the Heaven of old, and it is not the case that the Heaven of old was benign, whereas now Heaven is harsh. The hypothesis of reprimands has been put forward at present, as surmise made by men from their own feelings.
Declarations and oaths do not reach up to the Five Emperors, agreements and covenants to the Three Rulers, and the giving of hostages to the Five Princes. The more people's virtue declined, the more faith began to fail them. In their guile and treachery they broke treaties, and were deaf to admonitions. Treaties and admonitions being of no avail, they reproached one another, and if no change was brought about by these reproaches, they took up arms, and fought, till one was exterminated. Consequently reprimands point to a state of decay and disorder. Therefore it appears very dubious that Heaven should make reprimands.

12 自然:
且凡言谴告者,以人道验之也。人道、君谴告臣,上天谴告君也,谓灾异为谴告。夫人道、臣亦有谏君,以灾异为谴告,而王者亦当时有谏上天之义,其效何在?苟谓天德优,人不能谏,优德亦宜玄默,不当谴告。万石君子有过,不言,对案不食,至优之验也。夫人之优者,犹能不言,皇天德大,而乃谓之谴告乎?夫天无为,故不言。灾变时至,气自为之。夫天地不能为,亦不能知也。腹中有寒,腹中疾痛,人不使也,气自为之。夫天地之间,犹人背腹之中也,谓天为灾变,凡诸怪异之类,无小大薄厚,皆天所为乎?牛生马,桃生李,如论者之言,天神入牛腹中为马,把李实提桃间乎?牢曰:“子云:‘吾不试,故艺。’”又曰:“吾少也贱,故多能鄙事。”人之贱不用于大者,类多伎能。天尊贵高大,安能撰为灾变以谴告人?且吉凶蜚色见于面,人不能为,色自发也。天地犹人身,气变犹蜚色。人不能为蜚色。天地安能为气变?然则气变之见,殆自然也。变自见,色自发,占候之家,因以言也。
Ziran:
Those who believe in reprimands, refer to human ways as a proof. Among men a sovereign reprimands his minister, and high Heaven reprimands the sovereign. It does so by means of calamitous events, they say. However, among men it also happens that the minister remonstrates with his sovereign. When Heaven reprimands an emperor by visiting him with calamities, and the latter wishes at that time to remonstrate with high Heaven, how can he do it? If they say that Heaven's virtue is so perfect, that man cannot remonstrate with it, then Heaven possessed of such virtue, ought likewise to keep quiet, and ought not to reprimand. When the sovereign of Wan Shi did wrong, the latter did not say a word, but at table he did not eat, which showed his perfection. An excellent man can remain silent, and august Heaven with his sublime virtue should reprimand? Heaven does not act, therefore it does not speak. The disasters, which so frequently occur, are the work of the spontaneous fluid. Heaven and Earth cannot act, nor do they possess any knowledge. When there is a cold in the stomach, it aches. This is not caused by man, but the spontaneous working of the fluid. The space between Heaven and Earth is like that between the back and the stomach.
If Heaven is regarded as the author of every calamity, are all abnormities, great and small, complicated and simple, caused by Heaven also? A cow may give birth to a horse, and on a cherry-tree a plum may grow. Does, according to the theory under discussion, the spirit of Heaven enter the belly of the cow to create the horse, or stick a plum upon a cherry-tree?
Lao said, "The Master said," "Having no official employment, I acquired many arts," and he said, "When I was young, my condition was low, and therefore I acquired my ability in many things, but they were mean matters." What is low in people, such as ability and skilfulness, is not practised by the great ones. How could Heaven, which is so majestic and sublime, choose to bring about catastrophes with a view to reprimanding people?
Moreover, auspicious and inauspicious events are like the flushed colour appearing on the face. Man cannot produce it, the colour comes out of itself. Heaven and Earth are like the human body, the transformation of their fluid, like the flushed colour. Man cannot produce the flushed colour - how can Heaven and Earth cause the sudden change of their fluid? The change of the fluid is spontaneous, it appears of itself, as the colour comes out of itself. The soothsayers rely on this, when they foretell the future.

13 自然:
夫寒温、谴告、变动、招致,四疑皆已论矣。谴告于天道尤诡,故重论之,论之所以难别也。说合于人事,不入于道意。从道不随事,虽违儒家之说,合黄、老之义也。
Ziran:
Heat and cold, reprimands, phenomenal changes, and attraction, all these four errors have already been treated. Reprimands are more contrary to the ways of Heaven than anything else, therefore I have discussed them twice, explaining where the difficulties in the way of the two antagonistic views lie. The one is in accordance with human affairs, but does not fall in with Daoism, the other agrees with Daoism, but is not in harmony with human affairs. But though opposed to the belief of the Confucianists, it corresponds to the ideas of Huang Di and Laozi.

URN: ctp:lunheng/zi-ran